TO BE NEEDED
by Lonewolfe001
Summary: Why can Greg not accept Nick's help and why does Nick feel he needs to save Greg
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This fic was beta'd by Shacky20. Thank you for all your help.

To be needed by Lonewolfe001

"Greg stop that NOW!" Nick threatened the man he was carrying over his shoulder. His voice was filled with frustration and concern for his friend. He had almost lost his balance for the third time trying to juggle the load he was carrying while descending ten flights of stairs. It was not easy trying to carry his kit in one hand and the bag of evidence in the other while also carrying a very angry and reluctant man over his shoulder, who was wiggling and kicking and trying his best to get down. Greg's behavior reminded Nick of a spoilt child who was not getting his way.

"If you do not stop squirming we will both fall and end up breaking our necks", Nick tried to reason with Greg. However it was obviously not working by Greg's outrage.

"I don't care. JUST PUT ME DOWN!! I can walk by myself damnit", Greg retorted angrily.

"THAT IS IT", Nick said as he dropped the kit and the bag of evidence and yanked Greg off his shoulders. Nick held Greg securely by the shoulders so he could not escape, but he had enough of the younger man's behavior.

He was tired, hungry and Greg's insistent stubbornness had worn down the last of his patience.

Greg opened his mouth to make a sarcastic comment, but the look on Nick's very pissed off face stopped him. Maybe he had gone too far, he wondered. It's not like he intentionally meant to twist his ankle at the crime scene. He knew that he should accept Nick's help, but he still had a little of his pride left. If he was honest with himself, he would have accepted anybody else's help without question. But he had a secret crush, or maybe not so secret to some, on this particular Texan and to accept Nick's help would be a show of weakness to the person you loved and admired the most. According to Greg's reasoning, someone as brave, selfless and strong as Nick could never love a weakling.

Nick still fueled by his anger continued to grip Greg by his shoulders as if to anchor himself. Internally Nick felt out of control. He was angry but most of all hurt. Why would Greg not accept his help? Nick was raised believing that the willingness to help and take care of the person you loved was in itself an act of love. Therefore the more you were needed the more loved you were.

But Greg did not want his help. His actions alone were enough to tell Nick that, he didn't want or need to hear the words.

Greg did not need him, and therefore Greg could not possible love him.

The idea that Greg might not reciprocate his feelings shook Nick to his core and extinguished his anger.

Greg felt Nick loosen his hold on him. The angry expression on Nick's face was replaced by, well, Greg was not sure. Nick almost looked hurt, which puzzled Greg. Why would Nick be upset by his show of strength, independence? Being one who never lets grass grow under his feet, Greg took this as an opportunity to prove his strength. He pushed Nick roughly away, freeing himself completely from Nick's hold on him.

"I do not want your help. Why can you not get the message? I DO NOT NEED YOU!" said Greg angrily as he shoved Nick a second time. The look on Nick's face earlier was nothing compared to the shock and pained expression it held now. Greg was not going to back down now however, he had made his stand, he couldn't back down now, could he?

But Nick got the underlying message all too clearly. Greg did not love him or need him, not for his help now, or for anything else.

Wordlessly, Nick bent down and picked up his kit and the bag of evidence and without a backwards glance Nick started down the stairs again leaving Greg behind. Greg thought he saw Nick's eyes well with unshed tears, but that couldn't possibly be what he saw, why Nick would be so hurt. Maybe he missed something, but that would mean.......

The "false strength" Greg felt suddenly drained away. He stood there unable to utter a word as he watched Nick walk further away. With each step Nick took Greg felt like he was losing Nick, he felt alone and overcome with guilt.

He needed Nick.

He loved Nick.

What had he done?

A/N: Since I could not think of a good enough ending, this is how it will end for the time being.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N : This chapter was beta'd by the amazing AlexMorgan and the fantastic Shacky20. Thank you to you both!!

Chapter 2

Greg's sprained ankle healed with minimal fuss. Ice and keeping pressure off it, did the trick; but not all things could be mended so easily. It had been a week since that day on the staircase, and Greg couldn't help but be filled with guilt by his thoughtless words and actions. He had hurt Nick, the one person he never wanted to hurt.

So why could he not face Nick and apologize?

He knew why. He was afraid that if he opened up to Nick, and explained the justification behind his actions and words, that he will not be able to hold back his true feelings. Their friendship could not survive that much honesty. He gained no comfort and seriously doubted what he may or may not have seen in Nick's eyes before he turned and walked away. So he spent the past week avoiding Nick as much as possible.

"Stop thinking about Nick and focus on the crime scene," Greg berated himself as he squinted from the harsh Nevada sun as he wiped the sweat from his brow. He hated processing crime scenes out in the desert. It was too hot and too bright. He glanced over to Nick, who was processing the abandoned and blood-splattered car. It was the first time that they had been thrown together on a case; actually this was the longest period of time that they had been in each other's company since the incident on the staircase. Greg could not believe how much he missed Nick's presence. He didn't notice he was staring at Nick until Nick looked up from the backseat of the car and stared right back at him. Shit! Greg turned around quickly and pretended to be busy with his kit.

Nick let out a long sigh as he watched Greg turn around and pretend to ignore him. They had been equally avoiding each other and he wondered how long this would last. He missed Greg and longed to be close to him even if it meant just in the platonic sense. He felt guilty leaving Greg on the staircase. "You never leave a man behind", Nick thought, "even if the man he was trying to help was as stubborn as a mule", Nick added irritably. He knew he overreacted about Greg not accepting his help.

For the past six years, his feelings for Greg grew from friendship to something deeper and more meaningful. It was only in these past few months that Nick felt the pressure of keeping his feelings hidden too much to bear. He wanted to just tell Greg how he felt, and damn the consequences. But his sensible side kept him silent and instead he read into all Greg's actions and inactions to determine whether or not Greg felt the same way. Hell, he was not even sure if Greg was into men. His train of thought was interrupted when he heard his name called.

"Nick! Nick!" Greg called impatiently. Greg was irritable for being out in the sun so long; it felt like his Norwegian blood was boiling under this unrelenting heat. Unfortunately his irritability grew as he was unable to gain Nick's attention. "NICHOLAS!!" Greg shouted one more time. Nick looked up startled from the backseat, which Greg did not even register before he continued. "Sorry to interrupt your daydreaming," he said sarcastically, "but I found a blood trail leading away from the car , so I am going to follow it," Greg said as he turned around and walked away.

Nick was momentarily stunned by Greg's behavior. The anger that arose so quickly on the staircase returned. Greg was acting childishly. He knew Greg hated the desert sun and it always brought out the worst in him, but that was no reason to take it out on him. He watched Greg follow the blood trail and was about to call out to Greg to take an officer with him, it was procedure after all. But he thought better of it, if Greg wanted to do this on his own then he can go right ahead, Nick fumed as he watched Greg disappear from sight behind a thicket of desert bush.

How could he possibly be in love with such a stubborn and fickle man? Nick wondered as he returned to processing the car. Nick's train of thought was interrupted for the second time but unlike before, it was not by his name being called but by a scream of pain.

Nick's heart was gripped in fear. The scream belonged to Greg.

A/N: Feedback would be appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

This chapter was been beta'd by Shacky20 and is dedicated to AlexMorgan.

Chapter 3

The scream belonged to Greg.

The training that Nick had received while he was on the police force allowed his body to react as if on autopilot. He leapt out of the car with his gun drawn shouting to gain the nearby police officer's attention as he ran into the thicket of desert bush that Greg passed through just moments before.

His mind was focused on just one thing; he needed to get to Greg.

"Greg! Greg ! GREG!" Nick shouted frantically as he fought through the dense thicket.

The roar in his ears and the pounding of his heart were the only answers he received from his desperate pleas.

Finally freeing himself from the dense brush, he entered a clearing. Nick froze in fear as he looked upon Greg's unmoving body. The police officer behind Nick pushed passed him to sweep the area for an unknown assailant.

"All clear!" the officer confirmed. Nick snapped out of his daze and rushed to Greg's side and knelt beside him. "Greg, Greggo… can you hear me", Nick asked in a feared whisper as he turned Greg around to face him. Shaking, Nick reached out and took Greg's vital signs.

He was alive.

Nick let out a sigh of relief. Greg was still alive, that meant he still had a chance. Nick began checking Greg's unconscious body for any tell tale signs of what might have happened. There were no obvious bullet entry or stab wounds and there were no signs of a struggle. "What happened Greggo?" asked the unconscious man in his arms. He then noted that Greg was clutching his right thigh. Nick gently moved Greg's hand away. There it was….two deep puncture wounds. Nick was from Texas and he feared the worse as he searched the ground surrounding Greg. Then he saw the slithering tracks of a sidewinder.

Nick turned to the officer. "Go and radio for help and alert the hospital that we have an officer who has been bitten by a snake and they need to send us a helicopter", Nick ordered. "Go!! NOW!!" Nick shouted which resulted into the police officer rushing into action.

Greg needed medical assistance immediately. If he did not receive the antivenom in the next 30 minutes the consequences could be fatal. They were too far out into the desert for an ambulance to make it in time; there only hope was if a medical helicopter arrived in the next 15 minutes.

Nick applied pressure to the site of the bite in hopes to slow the poisonous venom coursing in Greg's veins. Greg was sweating excessively and was already spiking a fever. These were not good signs.

Nick lifted Greg so that his top half of his body rested against Nick; this ensured that the bitten area was kept lower than his heart. Unlike the movies sucking the venom out of the wound was not advisable and could cause more harm than good.

Nick's hand was cramping from applying pressure to the wound. He needed a bandage but had none on hand, so he made due with what he had. It was a little difficult trying to take off his T-shirt with Greg leaning against him, but he managed. Nick ignored the burning heat of the sun against his bare back and chest as he tore the t-shirt into strips and bound it above the snake bite to constrict the blood flow. Now that he had the freedom to use both hands, he used them to draw Greg closer into his arms. He done all that he could it was now up to the medical helicopter to arrive in time. Nick buried his face into Greg's hair and fought back the tears which threatened to spill. "Just hang in there Greggo", he whispered into Greg's hair.

"Nicky", came a throaty whisper from the man in his arms.

"Greg!" replied Nick startled. He lifted Greg's chin so that he could have a better view of Greg's face. Nick saw the pain evident in Greg's eyes. "Help is on its way Greg, so just hang in there" as he softly swept away the wet curls of hair from Greg's forehead.

"Nick I can't see, everything is blurry", came the panicked voice. Nick could feel Greg's body tensing in his arms and he felt Greg's heart rate increasing. He needed to keep Greg calm to prevent the poison from spreading faster.

"Its okay Greg, I am here and I will not let anything happen to you". Greg was about to answer but Nick interrupted him.

"Do you trust me Greg?"

"Yes, of course"

"Then trust that I will keep you safe", Nick said as he tightened his arms around Greg.

"Okay" Greg submitted weakly as he buried his face into the crook of Nick's neck and took long calming breathes. Normally Greg would resist any help from Nick but given his weakened condition and Nick being so close any objections were smothered. Greg felt Nick rubbing comforting circles on his back and he relaxed into Nick's arms. It felt so right to be in his arms even though the circumstances were grave.

Nick felt Greg's heart rate returning to normal and savored this small victory but time was running out and the helicopter had not yet arrived. Nick pushed these disquieting thoughts aside; he needed to stay strong and calm for Greg.

"Mmmm, Nicky where is your shirt?" Greg murmured appreciatingly.

Nick burst out laughing despite the gravity of the situation that they were in. Only Greg would flirt at a time like this, but it gave Nick hope that things would work out and maybe after this they would get a chance to talk.

Nick was about to reply when he felt Greg's head jerk back and he saw Greg's eyes roll back in his head as his body started convulsing.

The desert was filled with a scream of pain for the second time that day. This time the scream belonged to Nick.

A/N: Another cliffhanger! LOL!!Feedback would be appreciated


	4. Chapter 4

**To be needed**

**By Lonewolfe01**

**Chapter 4:**

Greg heard Nick's muffled cry of pain but the dense fog surrounding him blocked out all sight and sound. Rational thought escaped him, where he was and why Nick was crying out to him could not penetrate the cloud of pain that engulfed his body. He instinctively felt that he had to get up, keep moving, try to out run the pain, he knew if he stopped he would be overwhelmed by it, and he would die. Die? DIE! No, NEVER!

No, Papa Olaf would not approve of Greg giving up so easily, he rationalized in his fevered mind. He could almost hear his Papa.

"_**Stay strong for the ones you love, and survive"**_.

That was his motto.

Papa Olaf always said that their family, were survivors. Fleeing from Norway with his pregnant wife and settling in America during World War II, a time when Europeans were distrusted. His family overcame many hardships. His Papa Olaf was a survivor because he was a strong man, and he was a strong man because he took care of the ones he loved.

He wanted to be like Papa Olaf.

Therefore he had to be strong. Show no weaknesses.

"_**It's weak to ask/ accept help; it's weak to give up"**_.

That was_** his**_ motto.

He continued to berate himself unaware how twisted his motto was and what a far cry it was from his Papa's original motto.

With less conviction than he felt, he willed his aching limbs to move, fighting the pain with each sluggish movement.

Aaaaaarrrrr!!

A searing pain from his thigh shot through his entire body, and he fell. The pain was unbearable.

"_**It's weak to ask/ accept help; it's weak to give up"**_.

He tried to move, but it was if the pain was mocking him. Why be strong?, it asked as another onslaught of pain washed over him.

He had to be strong for his loved ones.

The spiteful question seemed to break free from the confines of his mind and overtook his senses echoing over and over again in the fog.

His parents died in a car crash when he was twelve, and last year his grandparents died of natural causes (old age). He had no remaining family, no significant other He was utterly alone. He had no loved ones.

Nick!

He was in love with Nick.

He repeated Nick's name, like a mantra against the pain. He wanted Nick beside him; he needed Nick.

"_**I do not want your help. Why can you not get the message? I DO NOT NEED YOU!"**_

The hurtful tone made him relive the guilt he felt standing on the stairs watching Nick walk away.

Something inside Greg broke, as the emotional pain won out over the physical pain. He realized now that his pride was his weakness, not accepting Nick's help.

Being strong, meant accepting help when needed.

"_**Stay strong for the ones you love, and survive"**_.

How could he have twisted Papa Olaf's wise words?

And now he would never be able to tell Nick that he was sorry.

He let the fog engulfed him.


End file.
